Positive thinking can have a range of physical and mental health benefits. Building a few habits, like positive self-talk and journaling, can help you get started. Are you a glass half-empty or half-full sort of person?

Studies have demonstrated that both can impact your physical and mental health and that being a positive thinker is the better of the two. A recent study followed 70, women from to and found that those who were optimistic had a significantly lower risk of dying from several major causes of death, including:.

What it will do is make problems seem more manageable and help you approach hardships in a more positive and productive way. Positive thinking can be achieved through a few different techniques that have been proven effective, such as positive self-talk and positive imagery. Here are some tips that to get you started that can help you train your brain how to think positively.

Challenging situations and obstacles are a part of life. For example, if someone cancels plans, focus on how it frees up time for you to catch up on a TV show or other activity you enjoy. Practicing gratitude has been shown to reduce stress, improve self-esteem, and foster resilience even in very difficult times.

Think of people, moments, or things that bring you some kind of comfort or happiness and try to express your gratitude at least once a day. This can be thanking a co-worker for helping with a project, a loved one for washing the dishes, or your dog for the unconditional love they give you.

Studies have found that laughter lowers stress, anxiety, and depression. It also improves coping skills, mood, and self-esteem. Be open to humor in all situations, especially the difficult ones, and give yourself permission to laugh. It instantly lightens the mood and makes things seem a little less difficult.

Negativity and positivity have been shown to be contagious. Have you noticed how someone in a bad mood can bring down almost everyone in a room?

A positive person has the opposite effect on others. Being around positive people has been shown to improve self-esteem and increase your chances of reaching goals. Surround yourself with people who will lift you up and help you see the bright side. We tend to be the hardest on ourselves and be our own worst critic.

Over time, this can cause you to form a negative opinion of yourself that can be hard to shake. Research shows that even a small shift in the way you talk to yourself can influence your ability to regulate your feelings, thoughts, and behavior under stress.

Take a good look at the different areas of your life and identify the ones in which you tend to be the most negative. Not sure? Ask a trusted friend or colleague. A co-worker might notice that you tend to be negative at work. Your spouse may notice that you get especially negative while driving.

Tackle one area at a time. Create a ritual in which you start off each day with something uplifting and positive. Here are a few ideas:. Instead, channel that energy into getting support from others. The lowest points in our lives are often the ones that motivate us to move on and make positive changes.

When going through such a time, try to see yourself as if you were a good friend in need of comfort and sound advice. What would you say to her? Negative thinking and the many feelings that can accompany it, such as pessimism, stress, and an g er , can cause a number of physical symptoms and increase your risk of diseases and a shortened lifespan.

Stress and other negative emotions trigger several processes in our bodies, including stress hormone release, metabolism, and immune function.

Long periods of stress increase inflammation in your body, which has also been implicated in a number or serious diseases. You may benefit from medical help, such as positive psychology or therapy. Persistent negative thoughts can be caused by an underlying psychiatric condition that requires treatment.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Shifting your inner dialogue from negative to positive can boost your mental health and overall outlook on life. Meditation is the process of redirecting your thoughts to calm your mind. It may also improve your overall quality of life. This is what the research…. You can also bring the great outdoors indoors by adding plants to your home and office or even watching nature scenes on YouTube , which has been shown to have similar effects.

In one study , people who viewed a stress-inducing film were later exposed to either shots of nature or urban life. Not sure where to start? Appreciate the fragrance of the soap.

The other day, I had a moment of transcendence just fully taking in the scent of my shower gel. The pleasure of the warm water and the privilege of cleanliness filled me to the point of tears. In addition to jotting down the things that fill you with gratitude, you may also find it helpful to write about your best possible self.

To get started with this writing exercise, grab a journal and start thinking about your life in the future. Imagine that everything has gone as well as it possibly could, and consider what that might look like in all the relevant areas of your life, including your career, your relationships, and your health.

Not to mention that people who volunteered more frequently experienced greater gains. That's exactly why Parisi recommends getting involved with a local animal, homeless, or domestic violence shelter, or a nearby school or hospital. If in-person volunteer activities may be too out of your comfort zone, there are plenty of meaningful virtual volunteer opportunities you can do from your couch.

For example: You can provide on-demand linguistic support to refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers via Tarjimly ; you can write thoughtful cards to residents of assisted living facilities through Letters Against Isolation ; or you can assist visually impaired people with everyday tasks think: reading an expiration date via the Be My Eyes app.

Even a small act of kindness can have a similarly uplifting effect. In a study published in the Review of General Psychology , researchers asked college students to perform either five acts of kindness a day or five acts of kindness per week over the course of six weeks.

It could be almost anything, from giving a friend a ride to letting someone at the grocery store get in line ahead of you.

Need some more ideas? You could offer to pick up groceries for an elderly neighbor, put a coin in an expired meter, randomly send flowers to a friend, compliment the first person you speak to each day, donate blood , leave a thank-you note for your mail carrier, run an errand for an extremely busy family member, pay for the cup of coffee of the person behind you in line, or leave a generous tip for a pleasant waiter.

In fact, a study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that people who worked out for as little as 10 minutes per week tended to be more cheerful than those who never exercise. We realize this might sound like a contradictory point to end on, but according to Jamie Gruman, PhD, professor at the University of Guelph and author of Boost , when people place great pressure on themselves to feel happy, it can actually result in feeling unhappy.

But there is one caveat. According to Gruman, there are two types of statements included in the Need for Happiness Scale: those that focus on how people think about increasing their happiness and those that focus on the actions people take to make themselves happier. Think of happiness as a by-product of living an engaged life, Gruman suggests.

in a slightly sarcastic tone to acknowledge the thought. Then I move my attention elsewhere. Locke Hughes is a freelance journalist and health coach. She's originally from Florida, worked in New York City for six years, and currently lives in the mountains of Park City, Utah.

In addition to OprahMag. com, she covers health and wellness for sites HuffPost, NBC News, Women's Health, Shape, and Self, among others.

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According to Anxiety. Medical schools worldwide now accept that the body's response to stress can suppress parts of the immune system and, over the long term, lead to damaging levels of inflammation. As far back as the 90s, studies have revealed that the brain is directly wired to the immune system.

Steve Cole, a professor at the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology PNI at the University of California, has published a series of studies suggesting that negative mental states guide immune responses and increase the risk of chronic illnesses.

For example, a virologist Ronald Glaser and his colleagues sampled blood from medical students, and found that during a stressful exam period, they had lower activity from virus-fighting immune cells, and higher levels of antibodies for the common virus Epstein—Barr, suggesting that stress had compromised their immune systems and allowed the normally latent virus to become reactivated.

The bottomline is, stress causes inflammation in the body which is a common source of many disorders and disease. Positivity is an anti-inflammatory antidote to stress, protecting your body from disease. Positive thinking impacts your ability to work more effectively. Productivity is not only good for our goals but also for our health.

To get started with this writing exercise, grab a journal and start thinking about your life in the future. Imagine that everything has gone as well as it possibly could, and consider what that might look like in all the relevant areas of your life, including your career, your relationships, and your health.

Not to mention that people who volunteered more frequently experienced greater gains. That's exactly why Parisi recommends getting involved with a local animal, homeless, or domestic violence shelter, or a nearby school or hospital.

If in-person volunteer activities may be too out of your comfort zone, there are plenty of meaningful virtual volunteer opportunities you can do from your couch. For example: You can provide on-demand linguistic support to refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers via Tarjimly ; you can write thoughtful cards to residents of assisted living facilities through Letters Against Isolation ; or you can assist visually impaired people with everyday tasks think: reading an expiration date via the Be My Eyes app.

Even a small act of kindness can have a similarly uplifting effect. In a study published in the Review of General Psychology , researchers asked college students to perform either five acts of kindness a day or five acts of kindness per week over the course of six weeks.

It could be almost anything, from giving a friend a ride to letting someone at the grocery store get in line ahead of you. Need some more ideas? You could offer to pick up groceries for an elderly neighbor, put a coin in an expired meter, randomly send flowers to a friend, compliment the first person you speak to each day, donate blood , leave a thank-you note for your mail carrier, run an errand for an extremely busy family member, pay for the cup of coffee of the person behind you in line, or leave a generous tip for a pleasant waiter.

In fact, a study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that people who worked out for as little as 10 minutes per week tended to be more cheerful than those who never exercise. We realize this might sound like a contradictory point to end on, but according to Jamie Gruman, PhD, professor at the University of Guelph and author of Boost , when people place great pressure on themselves to feel happy, it can actually result in feeling unhappy.

But there is one caveat. According to Gruman, there are two types of statements included in the Need for Happiness Scale: those that focus on how people think about increasing their happiness and those that focus on the actions people take to make themselves happier.

Think of happiness as a by-product of living an engaged life, Gruman suggests. in a slightly sarcastic tone to acknowledge the thought. Then I move my attention elsewhere. Locke Hughes is a freelance journalist and health coach. She's originally from Florida, worked in New York City for six years, and currently lives in the mountains of Park City, Utah.

In addition to OprahMag. com, she covers health and wellness for sites HuffPost, NBC News, Women's Health, Shape, and Self, among others. Vagus Nerve. Is This Intuition or Anxiety? These worksheets provide structured exercises and prompts designed to encourage positive thinking habits and empower individuals to shift their focus toward more optimistic perspectives.

Positive thinking worksheets are interactive resources that guide individuals through various exercises and reflections to promote positive thinking. They are often used in coaching, therapy, and personal development settings to help individuals overcome negative thought patterns and develop a more positive outlook on life.

These worksheets typically consist of thought-provoking questions, affirmations, gratitude practices, and visualization exercises. They are designed to encourage self-reflection, introspection, and the exploration of positive emotions and thoughts.

By engaging in these activities, individuals can actively work on reframing negative beliefs and cultivating a mindset that is more open, optimistic, and resilient. Positive thinking worksheets serve as practical tools to help individuals develop and strengthen their positive thinking skills. They offer a structured approach to encourage individuals to challenge negative self-talk, reframe their thoughts, and focus on the positive aspects of their lives.

Positive thinking worksheets are versatile tools that can be used by individuals on their own or in conjunction with coaching or therapy sessions. They provide a structured framework for individuals to actively engage in their own personal development journey, fostering positive change and empowering individuals to unlock their full potential.

Positive thinking worksheets are powerful tools that can help individuals cultivate a positive mindset and enhance their overall well-being.

Different types of worksheets target specific aspects of positive thinking. Here, we will explore three common types: gratitude worksheets , affirmation worksheets , and visualization worksheets.

Gratitude worksheets are designed to encourage individuals to focus on the positive aspects of their lives and cultivate a sense of appreciation.

These worksheets often include prompts or questions that prompt individuals to reflect on things they are grateful for, such as achievements, relationships, or simple pleasures. By regularly practicing gratitude using these worksheets, individuals can shift their attention away from negative thoughts and develop a more optimistic outlook.

This can lead to improved mood, increased resilience, and enhanced overall well-being. For a comprehensive collection of gratitude worksheets, check out our article on gratitude worksheets. Affirmation worksheets are designed to help individuals reframe negative thoughts and beliefs into positive and empowering statements.

These worksheets typically provide spaces for individuals to write down affirmations that resonate with them. Affirmations are positive statements that can help individuals challenge and overcome self-limiting beliefs. By regularly practicing affirmations using these worksheets, individuals can rewire their thought patterns and cultivate a more positive and self-affirming mindset.

This can boost self-confidence, improve self-esteem, and promote a more positive self-image. For a wide range of affirmation worksheets, visit our article on positive affirmations worksheets. Visualization worksheets are tools that help individuals harness the power of their imagination to create positive mental images of their desired outcomes.

These worksheets guide individuals through exercises that involve visualizing their goals, dreams, or aspirations in vivid detail. By engaging their senses and emotions, individuals can create a compelling mental picture of what they want to achieve. Regular practice of visualization using these worksheets can help individuals clarify their goals, increase motivation, and improve focus.

Visualization can also enhance self-belief and provide individuals with a sense of direction and purpose. By incorporating gratitude, affirmations, and visualization into their daily practice, individuals can unlock the power of positive thinking and experience significant improvements in their overall well-being.

These worksheets serve as valuable tools to guide individuals on their journey towards a more positive and fulfilling life. Positive thinking worksheets can be valuable tools for individuals seeking to cultivate a more positive mindset.

These worksheets provide structured exercises and prompts to encourage self-reflection, gratitude, and positive affirmations. Here, we will explore how to get started with positive thinking worksheets and provide some tips for effective worksheet practice. You can find a variety of positive thinking worksheets online, or you can create your own tailored to your needs and preferences.

When selecting worksheets, consider areas such as gratitude, affirmations, visualization, self-reflection, or goal-setting. Each of these areas can contribute to a more positive mindset and overall well-being.

For example, you may choose to begin with gratitude worksheets to help shift your focus towards the positive aspects of your life. Alternatively, you might opt for affirmation worksheets to reinforce positive beliefs about yourself and your abilities. To make the most of your positive thinking worksheets, consider the following tips for effective practice:.

Remember, positive thinking worksheets are just one tool among many that can support your journey towards a more positive mindset.

Consider integrating other practices such as mindfulness, self-care, or self-reflection to enhance your overall well-being. By combining these practices, you can unlock your positivity and empower yourself to lead a more fulfilling life. For individuals looking to harness the power of positive thinking, finding the right positive thinking worksheets can be a valuable resource.

These worksheets provide structured exercises and prompts to help individuals cultivate a positive mindset and enhance their overall well-being. There are various ways to access these worksheets, whether through online resources or creating your own.

The internet offers a wealth of resources for accessing positive thinking worksheets. Numerous websites and platforms are dedicated to personal development and provide a wide range of worksheets for free or at a nominal cost.

These online resources often offer a diverse selection of worksheets, catering to different aspects of positive thinking, such as gratitude, affirmations, and visualization. These platforms often have a curated collection of worksheets that have been created by psychologists, therapists, and life coaches.